[3.5] Looking For Monster

[Thurbane]

So, I saw this image in my FaceBook feed this morning (I think it's MtG art):


https://i.imgur.com/r8aUWyB.jpg

...and I got thinking, that would be cool art for a D&D monster. I'm thinking maybe a Lichfiend, but what kind of fiend to use for the base creature? Needs wings and a tail, obviously. Something I can slap class levels on would be preferred. Does a Nabassu have enough SLAs to be a Lichfiend? It doesn't have a tail through. Maybe a different undead template, if I can find the right base creature.

Note: MtG fans - I am not especially interested in making it match whatever the creature on the card is. Also, not interested in home-brewing a creature from scratch, would like to fit in an existing 3.0/3.5 creature.

Cheers - T

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Lichfiend can be applied to any evil outsider (doesn't need the evil subtype, can be a native outsider) with at least five spell-like abilities at a caster level 11 or higher, and Craft Wondrous Item.

It could be a Half-Fiend Lizardfolk Lichfiend, use variant Half-Fiend (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060630a) to taste.

[Vizzerdrix]

What about a half dragon the becomes a lich or vampire? Or both! Mash them templates together and see what happens!

[The Viscount]

Amnizu might be useful as a base creature, given its touch that deals Int damage.

Malebranche matches up pretty well with that image of a big winged fiend with a tail.

Both are in MMII and were reprinted in FCII.

[Tvtyrant]

So, I saw this image in my FaceBook feed this morning (I think it's MtG art):


https://i.imgur.com/r8aUWyB.jpg

...and I got thinking, that would be cool art for a D&D monster. I'm thinking maybe a Lichfiend, but what kind of fiend to use for the base creature? Needs wings and a tail, obviously. Something I can slap class levels on would be preferred. Does a Nabassu have enough SLAs to be a Lichfiend? It doesn't have a tail through. Maybe a different undead template, if I can find the right base creature.

Note: MtG fans - I am not especially interested in making it match whatever the creature on the card is. Also, not interested in home-brewing a creature from scratch, would like to fit in an existing 3.0/3.5 creature.

Cheers - T
Lichfiend Cornugon would work perfectly for looks. If you wanted to scale way up Lichfiend Aspect of Mephistopheles would work.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Dragonkin from the Draconomicon is a Monstrous Humanoid, eligible for the Vampire template.

Dragonkin Vampire
Large Undead (Augmented Monstrous Humanoid, Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 7d12 (51 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 40 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 25 (+3 Dex, –1 size, +13 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18
Attack: Foreclaw +13 melee (1d6+7) or longspear +13 melee (1d10+10) or slam +13 melee (1d8+7 plus energy drain)
Full Attack: 2 foreclaws +13 melee (1d6+7) or longspear +13/+8 melee (1d10+10) or slam +13 melee (1d8+7 plus energy drain) and foreclaw +8 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with longspear)
Special Attacks: Rake 1d6+3, Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Dominate, Create Spawn, Energy Drain.
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., detect magic, Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/silver and magic, Fast Healing 5, Gaseous Form, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, Spider Climb, +4 Turn Resistance.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +8
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 16, Con –, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 17
Skills: Bluff +11, Hide +7, Listen +21, Move Silently +11, Search +9, Sense Motive +11, and Spot +21
Feats: Alertnessᵇ, Combat Reflexesᵇ, Dodgeᵇ, Improved Initiativeᵇ, Lightning Reflexesᵇ, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, [one more feat]
Environment: Warm hills
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), troupe (1-2 plus 2-5 vampire spawn)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +10


This has the printed feats for a Dragonkin, which includes Improved Initiative which it gains as a bonus feat from Vampire. The last feat can be something like Improved Toughness or even Faerie Mysteries Initiate.

Also note that the printed Organization for a Dragonkin is: Solitary, clutch (2–8), or squad (4–16 plus 1 human necromancer of 7th–11th-level). I think that them running with a necromancer was carried over from the original printing in a Dragonlance book, but it's quite fitting in this case.

You can add spellcaster levels as nonassociated levels at +1 CR per 2 levels gained until it has 7 class levels, and fractions round down. So give it the elite array with Sorcerer or Cleric or Dread Necromancer levels, at 7th level it's CR 8, every level added after that is +1 CR.

[Telonius]

How about ... Half Obsidian Dragon, Half (something) Dracolich?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Honestly, mechanics-wise, that could be anything with wings that you fluff however you want.

Dragonwrought kobold with Dragon Wings, even, or a dragonborn of Bahamut (wings aspect) warforged.

Or even a petal or a pseudodragon. Half-fey illithid?

Just describe it like that and have it act extra-creepy.

[Wildstag]

This creature was actually put in 5e stats in the Plane Shift: Amonkhet post. It's an Archfiend of Ifnir from that plane. The suggestion put forth by WotC in that Plane Shift was that you use the stats of a nalfeshnee, and it really is just a demon that has been forcefully changed to look reminiscent of Nikol Bolas.

I'd stick to that though, just to make things easier for me. It could also be a half-dragon fiend, to emphasize the draconic nature it's been twisted into.

[ShurikVch]

Akutsukai template (Oriental Adventures)?

http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/images/oa_gallery/Akutsukai.jpg